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My boys grew taller than me pretty early (I'm very short) but it didn't keep me from popping their backsides with the paddle when they needed it. When my 13 year old tried to hit me because he was gonna be paddled- I had the police stand by while I DID paddle him. In Texas there is an allowance for "reasonable discipline" and just like a kid can call CPS on a parent; a parent can also call for a police stand by when administering "reasonable discipline". I don't think either of my boys were paddled after age 14. But it was because it became more effective to ground, take away privileges, etc.

Its got more to do with the family dynamic. If a young boy really respects his mother, it doesnt matter how tall he is, hes never going to raise a hand to her...never. Kids dont automatically become defiant and aggressive just because theyre being paddled. Some kids do just take their punishment well because they know theyve earned it. I do believe at some point, there are other things that work better, but I never rule out a good spanking. This will be individual to every family.

I totally agree with momofsaee!!! We have a 13 yr old, he's taller than me but he knows not to try to over power me. It's definitly a matter of respect. Eversince he was little I have made it very clear that I will always be the boss, no matter how big he gets... Oh and I'm his Parent, not his friend!

My niece is taller then me and I still spank her. Yes i have permission from my sister to spank her when she is not behaving. Just the other day, my mom and I tried to do something nice for her and she was giving my mom attitude and being straight up disrespectful. Then she tried yelling in my face and I had enough. I smacked her on her butt and told her to knock it off. That shut her up. Then when they were leaving I told her to behave so I wouldn't have to do it again. She is 12 and when she is with me, I will spank her if she gives me attitude.

Yes, 18 and then it's considered assault and you can be put in jail. If you hit an adult, it's illegal, if you hit a child, you're doing your job as a parent in correcting behavior. Oh, imagine the awesome world we would live in if we were just allowed to hit adults to correct their behavior...

Spanking is hitting a child on their butt, not the face or anywhere else. If you spanked your child on the butt when they are 18, would you really be put in jail? Then lock me up because I will spank my children when they need it, no matter what age!

Answer by
Anonymous
at 12:04 PM on Aug. 18, 2009

When they will hit you back, I guess. My dad spanked my brother "properly", whatever that means, when he was 13, and he turned around and beat the crap out of my dad. So, basically they got in a fist fight. Boy, my brother sure learned his lesson... get hit until you get bigger than the person hitting you.

Seriously, if a child is older, you need to be able to discipline them without spanking. If you can't, take some parenting classes. It's ridiculous to not know how to discipline a 13 year old other than trying to bend them over your knee and spank them.

No, my brother had no respect for his parents. I'm sure you will say that my parents just didn't know how to spank him. Talk to him today, and you get a great answer. Spankings are a quick way to get punishment over so you can get back to being bad again. They never put discipline with a spanking, because they just thought spanking was the magic answer.